Thursday, March 08, 2012

This is Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory, a monthly newsletter about politics, music, family and friends. This newsletter is read by 8,000 subscribers and all the lists and folks who get it forwarded to them. It's the best way I have to stay in touch with you, and I hope you'll keep me updated on your news, and update your information when you change your email.

You haven't heard from me since December 27th - I hope y'all are missing me as much as I miss you. This is the time period I blocked off to balance my checkbook, reconcile all my credit card accounts, get my papers in order to donate to the UE Labor Archive at Pitt, identify all of my relatives in family photos for the next generation, scan them and save them.

Also, to collect and edit all the performance videos of mine into a DVD to generate some multi-media content for my next CD, finish the research and write about my grandfather's life, to commit some of my best family stories to video for our family archives, individually acknowledge all the wonderful gifts, donations and cards that you sent, and perhaps work on a memoir.

Instead I am limping along with one hand - nursing the shattered left wrist that I sustained in a disastrous fall down my (fourteen ... steep ... unfinished ... oak) cellar steps. I usually encourage you to write, and promise to write back. I still hope you'll write to me, but for now I'm only typing when I must.

I hope I get to see you at the big upcoming concert in Pittsburgh March 20th!

Love and solidarity

Anne

WOMEN OF JAZZ FOR A WOMAN OF JUSTICE!

On Tuesday, March 20th at 7PM Pittsburgh jazz and blues greats will gather at the Rex Theater to celebrate Women's History Month and to raise some money to sustain me during my recovery. Etta Cox, Maureen, Budway, Tanya Grubbs, Freddye Stover, Donna Peck, Sheila Liming and Phat Man Dee will perform. Back up bands will include Pittsburgh Jazz & Blues All Stars. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.Suggested Donation $25 - Student/Low-Income/Unemployed $15. If you can't be there, you can be there in spirit - get your name in the program by sending $25 to:

I'm really hoping to be back to work by September or October, but I could really use a little help for these next few months. Thanks so much for your generosity!

FANTASTIC HEALTH NEWS!

I think you all know how serious, and usually hopeless, a diagnosis of small cell lung cancer is. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the miraculous news I received this week. There is no sign of cancer anywhere in my body, and hasn't been for more than six months. They don't even want to see me again for six months!

I still have this cardiac arrhythmia that I'm going to deal with later this month, and an oh-so-mysterious lung infection which is sapping my strength ... and I'm fondly hoping that this wrist fracture hasn't ended my guitar playing... but I'm definitely not staring into my last spring... yay!

Your support and generosity throughout this ordeal has been so uplifting. I appreciate you standing by me while I'm unable to work. How I wish every unemployed person, every striker, had a support network like mine! You're the best!!!

SAD NEWS - REST IN PEACE

Edith Wilson

Rick Peduzzi

Tim Henderson

Tom Pigott

My heart aches with the loss of so many dear friends since I wrote to you last. Edith Wilson was my friend, neighbor and sister/activist. I loved her Mom, who passed many years ago. Her terrific kids babysat my kids. We shared many opinions, dreams, laughs, cups of coffee, and a couple times a room at the School of the Americas Annual Vigil.She died December 31, 2011. The Pittsburgh activist community will miss her terribly.

Rick Peduzzi was a committed activist, a brilliant computer whiz, an extremely talented video editor, and one of my favorite people. We have been comrades since the seventies, and I don't know what I'll do without him. He died of a massive heart attack and stroke on January 18th. He was so much fun to hang out with - although his dedication to his work as IT guru at UE didn't give him much spare time. Later 'gator.

Dear Tim Henderson was one of Texas' finest and most beloved songwriters. He was a great friend and mentor, and was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer about the same time as I. He died on November 1 of last year, survived by his wonderful family, including my friend Marian - Tim's beloved wife.

Some of you were lucky enough to go to Ireland with me on one of the seven tours arranged by Tom Pigott of Enchanted Way tours. It is with great sadness that I report Tom's untimely death on February 4th, 2012 while on an Irish-themed Caribbean cruise. Tom suffered a massive heart attack, and died almost instantly. He was loved by many, and his voice will be greatly missed.

You'll be relieved to know that my grandson, Sebastian, is still cute. He just passed the 18 month mark. He and his parents will be here in May for a short visit.

My husband arrived on Valentine's Day in time for dinner with me, Briget and Doug Shields, and Pat and Sandy (http://emmasrevolution.com). He'll be here until the beginning of April. It's so great to have him here.

If you went to Folk Alliance this year you got a beautiful, superb-sounding shaker courtesy of Swan Percussion, owned by Mike Meadows - my daughter Amy's significant other. The two of them spent a couple weeks in Zimbabwe while I was there. We all enjoyed massive hospitality from Dan and Monique.

The Oscars Dinner happened again - this time with a *lot* of help from my friends. Tret Fure, newly elected President of Local 1000 of the Musicians' Union, was in Pittsburgh for a house concert and joined us for dinner.

I hope to see lots of local folks at the Rex on the 20th. I've got the wonderful Christie and Aodh Og (http://fourshillingsshort.com) here visiting right now. Had a lovely visit from my beautiful niece Kimberly, another from my dear pals Martha Shunn and Karen Newman. My best friend from college, Shirley Shultz was here last weekend. I've got tons of wonderful friends coming to Pittsburgh for the United Association of Labor Educators conference. Rae Sovereign, Elise Bryant, Judy Ancel and Jimmy Kelly are staying here the first night.

I'm flying to Brooklyn to be part of Bev Grant's 70th birthday celebration, and I'll stay with my cousin Karen McCahill-freshly returned from a visit to London to see her grandchildren, Antonito and Anabel - and their parents, Kristin and Antony. Karen's daughter Erin just announced her engagement! I love family weddings.

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Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory

I'm a traveling folksinger/agitator from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For almost 40 years I've been performing and occasionally writing songs for people in struggle. Each month I report here on where I've been and where I'm going. Always try to check with a venue before heading off for one of my concerts - details also continuously update at http://annefeeney.com/calendar.html Sign up now to get my hard-to-find news for activists in the labor, peace, feminist, social justice and environmental movements.

In August 2010 I was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer. I have a 20% chance of surviving this. In the meantime, I'm sidelined at home and unable to work. I've got some health insurance, so many of my medical expenses are covered. Still, if you're in a position to send some $$ my way, I could sure use it. It's scary being out of work.